Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday morning departed for China's Qingdao to attend the two-day long 18th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).

On Friday, the Prime Minister posted a message regarding the summit on his official Facebook account.

"The SCO has a rich agenda for cooperation, ranging from fighting terrorism, separatism and extremism to promoting cooperation in connectivity, commerce, customs, law, health and agriculture protecting the environment and mitigating disaster risk, and fostering people-to-people relations," Prime Minister Modi said.

He also said he would be holding multiple meetings with the heads of various SCO member states on the sidelines of the summit.

This will be India's first participation in the summit as a full-time member of the organisation. India, along with Pakistan, became the full-time member during Astana summit in June 2017.

Prime Minister Modi is also scheduled to hold bilateral talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping apart from holding meetings with various other participating leaders.

Further, the member-countries, including India, Pakistan, China, Kazakhstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, are expected to sign the Qingdao Declaration.

The declaration will hold details of the significant mechanism for resisting the global terror activities.

The SCO is a permanent intergovernmental international organisation that focuses on strengthening mutual trust and neighbourliness among the member states and promoting their effective cooperation in politics, trade, the economy, research, technology and culture, and making joint efforts to maintain and ensure peace, security and stability in the region.

The SCO has two sub-divisions including Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) and SCO Secretariat.&nbsp;

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday morning departed for China's Qingdao to attend the two-day long 18th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday morning departed for China's Qingdao to attend the two-day long 18th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). On Friday, the Prime Minister posted a message regarding the summit on his official Facebook account. "The SCO has a rich agenda for cooperation, ranging from fighting terrorism, separatism and extremism to promoting cooperation in connectivity, commerce, customs, law, health and agriculture protecting the environment and mitigating disaster risk, and fostering people-to-people relations," Prime Minister Modi said. He also said he would be holding multiple meetings with the heads of various SCO member states on the sidelines of the summit. This will be India's first participation in the summit as a full-time member of the organisation. India, along with Pakistan, became the full-time member during Astana summit in June 2017. Prime Minister Modi is also scheduled to hold bilateral talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping apart from holding meetings with various other participating leaders. Further, the member-countries, including India, Pakistan, China, Kazakhstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, are expected to sign the Qingdao Declaration. The declaration will hold details of the significant mechanism for resisting the global terror activities. The SCO is a permanent intergovernmental international organisation that focuses on strengthening mutual trust and neighbourliness among the member states and promoting their effective cooperation in politics, trade, the economy, research, technology and culture, and making joint efforts to maintain and ensure peace, security and stability in the region. The SCO has two sub-divisions including Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) and SCO Secretariat.

PM Modi heads to China for SCO Summit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday morning departed for China's Qingdao to attend the two-day long 18th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).

On Friday, the Prime Minister posted a message regarding the summit on his official Facebook account.

"The SCO has a rich agenda for cooperation, ranging from fighting terrorism, separatism and extremism to promoting cooperation in connectivity, commerce, customs, law, health and agriculture protecting the environment and mitigating disaster risk, and fostering people-to-people relations," Prime Minister Modi said.

He also said he would be holding multiple meetings with the heads of various SCO member states on the sidelines of the summit.

This will be India's first participation in the summit as a full-time member of the organisation. India, along with Pakistan, became the full-time member during Astana summit in June 2017.

Prime Minister Modi is also scheduled to hold bilateral talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping apart from holding meetings with various other participating leaders.

Further, the member-countries, including India, Pakistan, China, Kazakhstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, are expected to sign the Qingdao Declaration.

The declaration will hold details of the significant mechanism for resisting the global terror activities.

The SCO is a permanent intergovernmental international organisation that focuses on strengthening mutual trust and neighbourliness among the member states and promoting their effective cooperation in politics, trade, the economy, research, technology and culture, and making joint efforts to maintain and ensure peace, security and stability in the region.

The SCO has two sub-divisions including Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) and SCO Secretariat.&nbsp

PM Modi arrived in China's eastern port city of Qingdao today to attend the 18th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit with Pakistan also in attendance.

Modi was welcomed by Chinese officials and he also received a guard of honour upon his arrival at the airport.

Although PM Modi is not slated to meet Pakistan leaders officially, but he may meet them unofficially, according to India's Ambassador to China Gautam Bambawale.

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Before leaving for the summit, the Indian prime minister said he would be discussing "terrorism, separatism and extremism" with other leaders, including "commerce, customs, law, health and agriculture".

During the summit, PM Modi will be holding bilateral talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping which would be their second meeting after Wuhan where the two leaders had met for an "informal summit".

SCO members &nbsp;India, Pakistan, China, Kazakhstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan are expected to sign the Qingdao Declaration which aims to resist global terror activities.

Established in Shanghai in 2001, the SCO accounts for over 60 per cent of the Eurasian landmass, nearly half of the world's population. The summit aims to make joint efforts to maintain and ensure peace, security and stability in the region including promotion of trade, research and technology.

The summit will conclude on Sunday.

During the summit, PM Modi will be holding bilateral talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

PM Modi arrived in China's eastern port city of Qingdao today to attend the 18th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit with Pakistan also in attendance. Modi was welcomed by Chinese officials and he also received a guard of honour upon his arrival at the airport. Although PM Modi is not slated to meet Pakistan leaders officially, but he may meet them unofficially, according to India's Ambassador to China Gautam Bambawale. Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives in China's #Qingdao, he will be attending the SCO Summit & will hold a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. pic.twitter.com/ZzzuiBvGrT — ANI (@ANI) June 9, 2018 × Before leaving for the summit, the Indian prime minister said he would be discussing "terrorism, separatism and extremism" with other leaders, including "commerce, customs, law, health and agriculture". During the summit, PM Modi will be holding bilateral talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping which would be their second meeting after Wuhan where the two leaders had met for an "informal summit". SCO members India, Pakistan, China, Kazakhstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan are expected to sign the Qingdao Declaration which aims to resist global terror activities. Established in Shanghai in 2001, the SCO accounts for over 60 per cent of the Eurasian landmass, nearly half of the world's population. The summit aims to make joint efforts to maintain and ensure peace, security and stability in the region including promotion of trade, research and technology. The summit will conclude on Sunday.

PM Modi arrives in China to attend SCO summit

India and Pakistan will <a href="http://wionews.com/south-asia/uninterrupted-dialogue-with-india-only-way-to-resolve-all-disputes-pakistan-143008">not hold any formal meeting</a> on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation(SCO) summit scheduled to begin tomorrow in China, India's ambassador to China&nbsp;Gautam Bambawale said.&nbsp;

Bambawale&nbsp;confirmed that the leaders of the two countries may talk during the summit but there will be "no formal meeting"&nbsp;with Pakistan.

"Neither have we nor has Pakistan asked for a formal meeting but during such summits leaders may talk on the sidelines but there will be no formal meeting (with Pakistan)", Indian Ambassador to China, Gautam Bambawale said.

He further said, "This is the first summit wherein India is participating with complete membership & so will Pakistan, terror will certainly be a substantial part of the&nbsp;discussion".

The SCO was founded at a summit in Shanghai in 2001 by the presidents of Russia, China, Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.&nbsp;

Prime Minister Modi is expected to hold a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping during the summit, where the two leaders are expected to take stock of the implementations of ideas that they had decided during their informal summit in Wuhan last month.

Indian ambassador to China has confirmed that the leaders of the two countries may talk during the summit but there will be no formal meeting with Pakistan

India and Pakistan will not hold any formal meeting on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation(SCO) summit scheduled to begin tomorrow in China, India's ambassador to China Gautam Bambawale said. Bambawale confirmed that the leaders of the two countries may talk during the summit but there will be "no formal meeting" with Pakistan. "Neither have we nor has Pakistan asked for a formal meeting but during such summits leaders may talk on the sidelines but there will be no formal meeting (with Pakistan)", Indian Ambassador to China, Gautam Bambawale said. He further said, "This is the first summit wherein India is participating with complete membership & so will Pakistan, terror will certainly be a substantial part of the discussion". The SCO was founded at a summit in Shanghai in 2001 by the presidents of Russia, China, Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Prime Minister Modi is expected to hold a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping during the summit, where the two leaders are expected to take stock of the implementations of ideas that they had decided during their informal summit in Wuhan last month.

'India, Pak leaders may talk but no formal meeting during SCO summit,' says Indian Ambassador to China

A planned China and Russia-led show of support for Iran at next month's Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit is likely to be primarily symbolic unless the group opts to honour the Islamic republic's bid to be upgraded from observer to full member.

Yet, even a symbolic SCO gesture at its June 9-10 gathering in the Chinese city of Qingdao that would denounce the US withdrawal from the 2015 international nuclear agreement with Iran and imposition of harsh sanctions could prove tricky.

The meeting is expected to be attended by the presidents of China, Russia, Iran, India, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. It will come a day after the leaders of G-7 that groups the United States, the European Union, Japan, Canada, Britain, France and Germany are unlikely to find common ground on Iran at their summit in Quebec.

Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates will presumably not look kindly at solidarity at a time that the underlying motto of US and Saudi policy towards Iran appears to be isolation and regime change.

Saudi Arabia and the UAE moreover fear that membership in the SCO, which groups four Central Asian nations as well as Pakistan and India alongside China and Russia, would grant Iran a veto over their potential association with the grouping. With Israel and others interested in joining the SCO, that may be the reason why the group has so far dragged its feet on Iranian membership.

China and Russia, like Europe are signatories of the nuclear agreement, but less concerned than Britain, France and Germany about the threat of US sanctions against their own companies who do business in Iran. At least officially, they have so far not factored in a potential Saudi and UAE response to efforts to defeat the sanctions and salvage the agreement.

As a result, Chinese and Russian state-backed companies are maneuvering to profit from European firms like French oil company Total that are leaving Iran in the belief that the European Union will not be able to shield them from US retaliation.

Swiss lender Banque de Commerce et de Placements (BCP) said on Tuesday that it had suspended new transactions with Iran and was winding down Iran-related activities. Earlier, Germany's second biggest lender, DZ Bank, said it would halt financial transactions with Iran in July.

For its part, India, despite being dependent on energy from the Gulf, has vowed to keep trading with Iran irrespective of the fallout from US sanctions. "India follows only UN sanctions, and not unilateral sanctions by any country," said Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj.

Pakistan could find itself in the most difficult situation given its close political, military and cultural ties to Saudi Arabia and the UAE and its 700-kilometre long border with Iran.

The degree to which SCO members could find themselves between a rock and a hard place will depend on what strategy the United States and Saudi Arabia adopt in possible attempts to change the Iranian regime.

So far, the Trump administration appears to see economic pressure that would fuel already widespread discontent in Iran as its best bet. That could change however if efforts by SCO members as well as Europe succeed in countering US sanctions and salvaging the nuclear deal.

Complicating the debate about how best to confront Iran is the fact that senior aides to President Donald J Trump have close ties to a controversial Iranian exile group, the Mujahedeen-e-Khalq (MEK) or Holy Warriors of the People, seeking the overthrow of the government in Tehran that also enjoys Saudi support.

The group, believed to be responsible for the killing of several American military personnel and contractors in Iran in the 1970s, was designated by the US Treasury in 1997 and delisted in 2012, a year after a host of former US and British officials, came out publicly in support of the group.

Many of the officials have attended and addressed MEK rallies, allegedly in exchange for handsome fees and all-expenses paid trip. MEK, which first gained recognition for its opposition to the Shah of Iran, has denied paying for speaking engagements.

Trump's national security advisor John Bolton and Richard Giuliani, one of his top lawyers, were among the speakers.

"The declared policy of the United States of America should be the overthrow of the mullah's regime in Iran. Before 2019, we here will celebrate in Tehran," Bolton told an MEK rally less than a year before his appointment by Trump.

"The regime is evil, and it must go. Free Iran," added Giuliani.

Others who have backed the group include former FBI director Louis Freer, former British home secretary Lord Waddington, former US Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge, three former chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, two former directors of the CIA, former commander of NATO Wesley K Clark, two former US ambassadors to the United Nations, former national security advisers Fran Townsend and General James Jones, and 93 members of Congress.

US officials said at the time that the group had been delisted after it had renounced violence and cooperated in closing a paramilitary base in Iraq from where it was operating since declaring its support in 1983 for Iraq in the Iran-Iraq war.

"As far as the MEK is concerned, their guy is in the White House. They're tied in this together. John Bolton is the MEK's guy in the White House," said Joanne Stocker, a journalist who has tracked the group for almost a decade.

The group also has the backing of Saudi Arabia, which has developed plans and invested in building blocks for potential covert operations to destabilise Iran.

A Syrian opposition news website reported this week that Saudi Arabia was funding and providing logistical support to the US-backed Democratic Union Party (PYD), a battle-hardened Syrian Kurdish group that has proven its mettle in fighting the Islamic State.

The public face of the kingdom's backing of the MEK is former Saudi intelligence chief and ex-ambassador to Britain and the United States, Prince Turki al-Faisal.

"Your legitimate struggle against the (Iranian) regime will achieve its goal, sooner or later. I, too, want the fall of the regime," Prince Turki, echoing the statements by Messrs. Bolton and Giuliani, told an MEK rally in Paris in 2017.

One-time MEK National Liberation Army commander and security chief, Massoud Khodabandeh, who turned against the group in the second half of the 1990s, says that "I personally have brought money and gold from Saudi Arabia to Iraq for the Mujahedeen... It was three trucks of gold... I would say about a ton each."

A 2012 report by the Library of Congress identified Khodabandeh and his wife as Iranian intelligence agents. The report said the couple had agreed to cooperate with the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence and Security after it threatened to kill Khodabandeh's brother and confiscate extensive real estate holdings in Tehran owned by his mother.

More recently, MSNBC reported that Gulf states had funded construction of an MEK military base in Albania.

The MEK has denied receiving any foreign assistance, insisting that it is wholly funded by members and supporters.

The MEK is widely believed to have been responsible for a series of bombings in Iran in the immediate aftermath of the 1979 toppling of the Shah that killed scores of post-revolution leaders.

Dutch media reports suggested last week that an Iranian exile killed in Amsterdam in 2015 was an MEK operative who had been sentenced to death in Iran for bombing a gathering of officials in Teheran in 1981.

Seventy-three people were killed in the attack, including Ayatollah Mohammed Beheshti, the second most powerful cleric at the time after Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, as well as four ministers and numbers of members of parliament.

It's unclear what degree of support the MEK enjoys in Iran today with many analysts convinced that the group lost sympathy when it sided with Iraq against Iran. Groups associated with the MEK have claimed credit for protests in recent years in the oil-rich province of Khuzestan, that has a significant ethnic Arab population. Iranian Arab activists deny the groups' assertions.

Saudi backing of groups like the MEK and PYD as well as ultra-conservative, anti-Shiite, anti-Iranian forces in the troubled Pakistani province of Balochistan that borders on Iran could potentially pose a serious problem for the leaders of the SCO.

Heightened tension in Balochistan could threaten China's $50 billion plus infrastructure and energy investment in the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a crown jewel of China's Belt and Road initiative.

So far, China is in good company with much of the international community opposed to abrogation of the Iranian nuclear agreement and, at least in word, determined to defeat US efforts to bring Iran to its knees with sanctions.

Yet, like many in the international community with Europe in the lead, China may find that putting its money where its mouth is could prove in the final analysis problematic.

Similarly, Russia has much at stake after having forged close cooperation with Saudi Arabia in managing world oil prices while attempting to ensure that Iran’s presence in Syria does not escalate into a war with Israel.

If Europe's Achilles Heel is obstacles to putting credible mechanisms in place to protect its companies against US sanctions, China's weak spot is its ruthless campaign to tame Islam in China, particularly among Uighurs in the strategic northwest province of Xinjiang.

So far, it has been able to do so with little international response because Saudi Arabia and other Islamic states have looked the other way. The question is whether an effective Chinese countering of US sanctions that would significantly weaken the impact on Iran may prompt Saudi Arabia and others to revisit the issue.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

For its part, India, despite being dependent on energy from the Gulf, has vowed to keep trading with Iran irrespective of the fallout from US sanctions.

A planned China and Russia-led show of support for Iran at next month's Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit is likely to be primarily symbolic unless the group opts to honour the Islamic republic's bid to be upgraded from observer to full member. Yet, even a symbolic SCO gesture at its June 9-10 gathering in the Chinese city of Qingdao that would denounce the US withdrawal from the 2015 international nuclear agreement with Iran and imposition of harsh sanctions could prove tricky. The meeting is expected to be attended by the presidents of China, Russia, Iran, India, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. It will come a day after the leaders of G-7 that groups the United States, the European Union, Japan, Canada, Britain, France and Germany are unlikely to find common ground on Iran at their summit in Quebec. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates will presumably not look kindly at solidarity at a time that the underlying motto of US and Saudi policy towards Iran appears to be isolation and regime change. Saudi Arabia and the UAE moreover fear that membership in the SCO, which groups four Central Asian nations as well as Pakistan and India alongside China and Russia, would grant Iran a veto over their potential association with the grouping. With Israel and others interested in joining the SCO, that may be the reason why the group has so far dragged its feet on Iranian membership. China and Russia, like Europe are signatories of the nuclear agreement, but less concerned than Britain, France and Germany about the threat of US sanctions against their own companies who do business in Iran. At least officially, they have so far not factored in a potential Saudi and UAE response to efforts to defeat the sanctions and salvage the agreement. As a result, Chinese and Russian state-backed companies are maneuvering to profit from European firms like French oil company Total that are leaving Iran in the belief that the European Union will not be able to shield them from US retaliation. Swiss lender Banque de Commerce et de Placements (BCP) said on Tuesday that it had suspended new transactions with Iran and was winding down Iran-related activities. Earlier, Germany's second biggest lender, DZ Bank, said it would halt financial transactions with Iran in July. For its part, India, despite being dependent on energy from the Gulf, has vowed to keep trading with Iran irrespective of the fallout from US sanctions. "India follows only UN sanctions, and not unilateral sanctions by any country," said Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj. Pakistan could find itself in the most difficult situation given its close political, military and cultural ties to Saudi Arabia and the UAE and its 700-kilometre long border with Iran. The degree to which SCO members could find themselves between a rock and a hard place will depend on what strategy the United States and Saudi Arabia adopt in possible attempts to change the Iranian regime. So far, the Trump administration appears to see economic pressure that would fuel already widespread discontent in Iran as its best bet. That could change however if efforts by SCO members as well as Europe succeed in countering US sanctions and salvaging the nuclear deal. Complicating the debate about how best to confront Iran is the fact that senior aides to President Donald J Trump have close ties to a controversial Iranian exile group, the Mujahedeen-e-Khalq (MEK) or Holy Warriors of the People, seeking the overthrow of the government in Tehran that also enjoys Saudi support. The group, believed to be responsible for the killing of several American military personnel and contractors in Iran in the 1970s, was designated by the US Treasury in 1997 and delisted in 2012, a year after a host of former US and British officials, came out publicly in support of the group. Many of the officials have attended and addressed MEK rallies, allegedly in exchange for handsome fees and all-expenses paid trip. MEK, which first gained recognition for its opposition to the Shah of Iran, has denied paying for speaking engagements. Trump's national security advisor John Bolton and Richard Giuliani, one of his top lawyers, were among the speakers. "The declared policy of the United States of America should be the overthrow of the mullah's regime in Iran. Before 2019, we here will celebrate in Tehran," Bolton told an MEK rally less than a year before his appointment by Trump. "The regime is evil, and it must go. Free Iran," added Giuliani. Others who have backed the group include former FBI director Louis Freer, former British home secretary Lord Waddington, former US Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge, three former chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, two former directors of the CIA, former commander of NATO Wesley K Clark, two former US ambassadors to the United Nations, former national security advisers Fran Townsend and General James Jones, and 93 members of Congress. US officials said at the time that the group had been delisted after it had renounced violence and cooperated in closing a paramilitary base in Iraq from where it was operating since declaring its support in 1983 for Iraq in the Iran-Iraq war. "As far as the MEK is concerned, their guy is in the White House. They're tied in this together. John Bolton is the MEK's guy in the White House," said Joanne Stocker, a journalist who has tracked the group for almost a decade. The group also has the backing of Saudi Arabia, which has developed plans and invested in building blocks for potential covert operations to destabilise Iran. A Syrian opposition news website reported this week that Saudi Arabia was funding and providing logistical support to the US-backed Democratic Union Party (PYD), a battle-hardened Syrian Kurdish group that has proven its mettle in fighting the Islamic State. The public face of the kingdom's backing of the MEK is former Saudi intelligence chief and ex-ambassador to Britain and the United States, Prince Turki al-Faisal. "Your legitimate struggle against the (Iranian) regime will achieve its goal, sooner or later. I, too, want the fall of the regime," Prince Turki, echoing the statements by Messrs. Bolton and Giuliani, told an MEK rally in Paris in 2017. One-time MEK National Liberation Army commander and security chief, Massoud Khodabandeh, who turned against the group in the second half of the 1990s, says that "I personally have brought money and gold from Saudi Arabia to Iraq for the Mujahedeen... It was three trucks of gold... I would say about a ton each." A 2012 report by the Library of Congress identified Khodabandeh and his wife as Iranian intelligence agents. The report said the couple had agreed to cooperate with the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence and Security after it threatened to kill Khodabandeh's brother and confiscate extensive real estate holdings in Tehran owned by his mother. More recently, MSNBC reported that Gulf states had funded construction of an MEK military base in Albania. The MEK has denied receiving any foreign assistance, insisting that it is wholly funded by members and supporters. The MEK is widely believed to have been responsible for a series of bombings in Iran in the immediate aftermath of the 1979 toppling of the Shah that killed scores of post-revolution leaders. Dutch media reports suggested last week that an Iranian exile killed in Amsterdam in 2015 was an MEK operative who had been sentenced to death in Iran for bombing a gathering of officials in Teheran in 1981. Seventy-three people were killed in the attack, including Ayatollah Mohammed Beheshti, the second most powerful cleric at the time after Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, as well as four ministers and numbers of members of parliament. It's unclear what degree of support the MEK enjoys in Iran today with many analysts convinced that the group lost sympathy when it sided with Iraq against Iran. Groups associated with the MEK have claimed credit for protests in recent years in the oil-rich province of Khuzestan, that has a significant ethnic Arab population. Iranian Arab activists deny the groups' assertions. Saudi backing of groups like the MEK and PYD as well as ultra-conservative, anti-Shiite, anti-Iranian forces in the troubled Pakistani province of Balochistan that borders on Iran could potentially pose a serious problem for the leaders of the SCO. Heightened tension in Balochistan could threaten China's $50 billion plus infrastructure and energy investment in the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a crown jewel of China's Belt and Road initiative. So far, China is in good company with much of the international community opposed to abrogation of the Iranian nuclear agreement and, at least in word, determined to defeat US efforts to bring Iran to its knees with sanctions. Yet, like many in the international community with Europe in the lead, China may find that putting its money where its mouth is could prove in the final analysis problematic. Similarly, Russia has much at stake after having forged close cooperation with Saudi Arabia in managing world oil prices while attempting to ensure that Iran’s presence in Syria does not escalate into a war with Israel. If Europe's Achilles Heel is obstacles to putting credible mechanisms in place to protect its companies against US sanctions, China's weak spot is its ruthless campaign to tame Islam in China, particularly among Uighurs in the strategic northwest province of Xinjiang. So far, it has been able to do so with little international response because Saudi Arabia and other Islamic states have looked the other way. The question is whether an effective Chinese countering of US sanctions that would significantly weaken the impact on Iran may prompt Saudi Arabia and others to revisit the issue. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: How much solidarity with Iran can the China-led SCO afford?

The SCO-Afghanistan Contact Group Meeting was held here today during which India underlined the security challenges posed by terrorism imposed from beyond the borders of the war-torn country.

The Indian delegation was led by Additional Secretary (Multilateral Diplomacy) Gitesh Sarma at the second meeting of SCO-Afghanistan Contact Group, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.

"The meeting discussed issues on three agendas, namely the current situation of Afghanistan and its neighbouring regions, the reconciliation process in Afghanistan and role of SCO, and measures for cooperation between SCO and Afghanistan," the MEA said in a statement.

India shared its perspectives on the security situation in Afghanistan, including security challenges posed by terrorism and extremism imposed from beyond its borders, extended support to the peace offer made by the President of Afghanistan to the armed opposition for talks in February this year and the need for an Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and Afghan-controlled national peace and reconciliation in an environment free of terror and violence, it said.

India also stressed on continued assistance for socio-economic development based on priorities of the Afghan people and ensuring greater connectivity and regional integration for Afghanistan.

India reiterated its support to the membership of Afghanistan in the SCO, the statement said.

It also conveyed its readiness to work closely with the SCO member states in efforts to bring peace, prosperity and stability in Afghanistan.

On the sidelines of the Contact Group meeting, the Indian delegation held bilateral consultations with the delegations of China, Afghanistan, Russia and Tajikistan.

The SCO in which China plays an influential role is comprised of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India and Pakistan.

India and Pakistan were admitted to the organisation last year.

Iran, along with Afghanistan, Belarus and Mongolia, is an observer in the SCO.&nbsp 
&nbsp

The Indian delegation was led by Additional Secretary (Multilateral Diplomacy) Gitesh Sarma at the second meeting of SCO-Afghanistan Contact Group

The SCO-Afghanistan Contact Group Meeting was held here today during which India underlined the security challenges posed by terrorism imposed from beyond the borders of the war-torn country. The Indian delegation was led by Additional Secretary (Multilateral Diplomacy) Gitesh Sarma at the second meeting of SCO-Afghanistan Contact Group, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said. "The meeting discussed issues on three agendas, namely the current situation of Afghanistan and its neighbouring regions, the reconciliation process in Afghanistan and role of SCO, and measures for cooperation between SCO and Afghanistan," the MEA said in a statement. India shared its perspectives on the security situation in Afghanistan, including security challenges posed by terrorism and extremism imposed from beyond its borders, extended support to the peace offer made by the President of Afghanistan to the armed opposition for talks in February this year and the need for an Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and Afghan-controlled national peace and reconciliation in an environment free of terror and violence, it said. India also stressed on continued assistance for socio-economic development based on priorities of the Afghan people and ensuring greater connectivity and regional integration for Afghanistan. India reiterated its support to the membership of Afghanistan in the SCO, the statement said. It also conveyed its readiness to work closely with the SCO member states in efforts to bring peace, prosperity and stability in Afghanistan. On the sidelines of the Contact Group meeting, the Indian delegation held bilateral consultations with the delegations of China, Afghanistan, Russia and Tajikistan. The SCO in which China plays an influential role is comprised of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India and Pakistan. India and Pakistan were admitted to the organisation last year. Iran, along with Afghanistan, Belarus and Mongolia, is an observer in the SCO.

India flags security challenges faced by Afghanistan at SCO meet

Amid diplomacy and politics,<a href="http://www.wionews.com/photos/pm-modi-to-visit-putin's-'personal'-palace-with-gold-plated-swimming-pool,-helipads-138647#photo-138636"> PM Modi and Russian President Vladimir </a>Putin took a ride on a yacht along the Black Sea in Sochi.

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Earlier, PM Modi met <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/watch-live-pm-modi-meets-russian-president-putin-138616">President Putin in an "informal summit"</a> as the two leaders&nbsp;discussed&nbsp;trade and military cooperation.

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Russia: PM Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin take ride on a yacht in Sochi <a href="https://t.co/eqgAfy7g21">pic.twitter.com/eqgAfy7g21</a>
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"I am grateful to President Putin who invited me for an informal meeting and hence, in the long friendship of ours, this is a new aspect that has been attached to our relationship," Modi said.

"Our defense ministries maintain very close contacts and cooperation. It speaks about a very high strategic level of our partnership," Putin said.

Putin also hailed growing trade between India and Russia which had grown over 17 per cent.

While thanking the Russian president for India's permanent entry into the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation(SCO), PM Modi congratulated Putin on his fourth term as president.&nbsp;

"In my political career also, Russia and you (Putin) are very significant...As the chief minister of Gujarat, it was my first meeting with a foreign leader. Hence, the beginning of my international relations started from you and Russia," Modi added.

Thanking Modi on his visit, Putin said the Indian prime ministers visit would give a fresh impetus to bilateral ties.&nbsp;

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Putin hailed growing trade between India and Russia which had grown over 17 per cent.

Amid diplomacy and politics, PM Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin took a ride on a yacht along the Black Sea in Sochi. #WATCH PM Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin take ride on a yacht in Russia's Sochi pic.twitter.com/g4qwmUHdxB — ANI (@ANI) May 21, 2018 × Earlier, PM Modi met President Putin in an "informal summit" as the two leaders discussed trade and military cooperation. Russia: PM Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin take ride on a yacht in Sochi pic.twitter.com/eqgAfy7g21 — ANI (@ANI) May 21, 2018 × "I am grateful to President Putin who invited me for an informal meeting and hence, in the long friendship of ours, this is a new aspect that has been attached to our relationship," Modi said. "Our defense ministries maintain very close contacts and cooperation. It speaks about a very high strategic level of our partnership," Putin said. Putin also hailed growing trade between India and Russia which had grown over 17 per cent. While thanking the Russian president for India's permanent entry into the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation(SCO), PM Modi congratulated Putin on his fourth term as president. "In my political career also, Russia and you (Putin) are very significant...As the chief minister of Gujarat, it was my first meeting with a foreign leader. Hence, the beginning of my international relations started from you and Russia," Modi added. Thanking Modi on his visit, Putin said the Indian prime ministers visit would give a fresh impetus to bilateral ties.

Watch: PM Modi, Putin take 'informal' yacht ride in Sochi

The meetings of the defence and foreign ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), being attended by Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, began in Beijing on Tuesday.

The two meetings are being held at around the same time.

Sitharaman who arrived in Beijing last night attended the defence ministers' meeting and Swaraj took part in the foreign ministers' meeting.

The two meetings were being held as part of the preparations for the SCO summit to be held in the Chinese city of Qingdao in June.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to attend it.

These are the first top ministerial-level meetings of the SCO after the admission of India and Pakistan as members last year.

A host of issues including the regional security and terrorism were expected to be discussed at the meetings and prepare agenda for the SCO summit.

The SCO, headquartered in Beijing, was founded in 2001.

Comprising China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, India and Pakistan, the SCO aims at military cooperation between the member states and involves intelligence sharing, counter-terrorism operations in Central Asia and joint work against cyber terrorism.&nbsp

These are the first top ministerial-level meetings of the SCO after the admission of India and Pakistan as members last year

The meetings of the defence and foreign ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), being attended by Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, began in Beijing on Tuesday. The two meetings are being held at around the same time. Sitharaman who arrived in Beijing last night attended the defence ministers' meeting and Swaraj took part in the foreign ministers' meeting. The two meetings were being held as part of the preparations for the SCO summit to be held in the Chinese city of Qingdao in June. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to attend it. These are the first top ministerial-level meetings of the SCO after the admission of India and Pakistan as members last year. A host of issues including the regional security and terrorism were expected to be discussed at the meetings and prepare agenda for the SCO summit. The SCO, headquartered in Beijing, was founded in 2001. Comprising China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, India and Pakistan, the SCO aims at military cooperation between the member states and involves intelligence sharing, counter-terrorism operations in Central Asia and joint work against cyber terrorism.

SCO Defence, Foreign Ministers' meeting begins in Beijing

India has once again <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-strongly-raises-terrorism-issue-attacks-pakistan-at-sco-fms-meet-in-china-132490">snubbed China's attempt to further the One Belt</a>, One Road initiative(OBOR) after other foreign ministers gathered at the&nbsp;Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in&nbsp;Beijing "reaffirmed support for China's Belt and Road proposal", newswire Reuters reported.

India's external affairs <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/sco-defence-foreign-ministers-meeting-begins-in-beijing-132422">minister Sushma Swaraj reportedly</a> "did not express support" for the project in a communique released by the foreign ministers.

Foreign ministers from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan "supported" the Chinese OBOR&nbsp;in a statement, however, there was no mention of India's view.

The communique also supported Iran's nuclear deal.&nbsp;

The OBOR initiative is President Xi's major foreign policy programme&nbsp;which seeks to build a "silk route" through Asia linking Europe by train and road network&nbsp;in order to pave the way for trade and commerce with China.&nbsp;

However, India has consistently resisted attempts by China to sign-up to OBOR with Indian authorities arguing the road network infringes on its territorial sovereignty.

Several European countries including France, UK and Germany have also raised objections to Xi's grand plans to integrate markets, arguing for a "two-way" process which would benefit all stakeholders which China has consistently reiterated&nbsp;it does completely.&nbsp;

China has already started the project with Pakistan in the form of $57 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor(CPEC), also involved Nepal, Maldives and Myanmar in the project although the OBOR plan is yet to fully takeoff in these regions.

Last year after President Xi got the approval for another term to head the country, the OBOR plan was enshrined in the constitution as a key element of Xi's vision for the future.

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India's external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj reportedly "did not express support" for the project in a communique released by the foreign ministers.

India has once again snubbed China's attempt to further the One Belt, One Road initiative(OBOR) after other foreign ministers gathered at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Beijing "reaffirmed support for China's Belt and Road proposal", newswire Reuters reported. India's external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj reportedly "did not express support" for the project in a communique released by the foreign ministers. Foreign ministers from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan "supported" the Chinese OBOR in a statement, however, there was no mention of India's view. The communique also supported Iran's nuclear deal. The OBOR initiative is President Xi's major foreign policy programme which seeks to build a "silk route" through Asia linking Europe by train and road network in order to pave the way for trade and commerce with China. However, India has consistently resisted attempts by China to sign-up to OBOR with Indian authorities arguing the road network infringes on its territorial sovereignty. Several European countries including France, UK and Germany have also raised objections to Xi's grand plans to integrate markets, arguing for a "two-way" process which would benefit all stakeholders which China has consistently reiterated it does completely. China has already started the project with Pakistan in the form of $57 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor(CPEC), also involved Nepal, Maldives and Myanmar in the project although the OBOR plan is yet to fully takeoff in these regions. Last year after President Xi got the approval for another term to head the country, the OBOR plan was enshrined in the constitution as a key element of Xi's vision for the future.

SCO meet: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan & Russia express 'support' for OBOR, Sushma Swaraj stays away

In a veiled attack on Pakistan, India on Tuesday said that terrorism is an enemy of the basic human rights and the fight against it should also identify states that "encourage, support and finance" the menace and "provide sanctuary" to terror groups.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, during her address at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Foreign Ministers meeting, also attended by Pakistan Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, raised the issue of global terrorism and protectionism.

There are a number of challenges that are being faced by the world today, foremost being the threat of global terrorism and the imminent need to build a strong security architecture to combat it, the minister said.

"Terrorism is an enemy of the basic human rights: of life, peace and prosperity," Swaraj said.

The criminal terrorist militias are not impeded by borders as they seek to destroy the architecture of international stability and build walls of fear in societies that believe in pluralism, she said."We strongly believe that our fight against terrorism should not only seek to eliminate terrorists but should also identify and take strong measures against States that encourage, support and finance terrorism and provide sanctuary to terrorists and terror groups," Swaraj said without mentioning any country.

Maiming and killing innocent lives indiscriminately constitutes the most blatant violation of human rights, she said.

"We have to work together to wipe-out this scourge from the face of the earth. In order to realise this objective, we must unite across our differences, strengthen our resolve and script an effective strategy against terror. We welcome the clarity shown by the SCO on terrorism from its inception.

"We should also urgently resolve to establish Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism that India proposed more than two decades ago in the United Nations. We are determined to consistently strengthen cooperation within the SCO framework for comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security," the minister said.

On trade and investment, Swaraj said that "protectionism in all its forms should be rejected and efforts should be made to discipline measures that constitute barriers to trade".

The meeting was also attended by foreign ministers Wang Yi of China, Kairat Abdrakhmanov of Kazakhstan, Abdyldaev Erlan Bekeshovich of Kyrgyzstan, Sergey Lavrov of Russia, Sirodjidin Muhridinovich Aslov of Tajikistan, Abdulaziz Khafizovich Kamilov of Uzbekistan, and Secretary General of the SCO Rashid Alimov among others.

Swaraj also raised the issue of reforms at the UN Security Council and said "it is clear to many of us that the Security Council is increasingly unable, or sometimes unwilling, to respond to the security challenges of our times, with tragic consequences.

For long India has been calling for the reform of the UN Security Council, the world body's top organ.

"We must not lose sight of the fact that reforms of the UN will be incomplete, without reforms in the Security Council to make it more representative of contemporary realities".

"Since 2008, the international community has carefully nurtured the ongoing Inter Governmental Negotiations at the UN to take our discussions on UNSC reforms forward," she said.

An overwhelming majority of members have expressed their desire to see these negotiations continue on the basis of a text, Swaraj said.

India is committed to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and its Paris Agreement of 2015 on combating climate change. Addressing Climate Change and promoting secure, affordable and sustainable clean energy are India's shared priorities, she said.

Following the establishment of "International Solar Alliance" in December 2017, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosted its Founding Conference in New Delhi in March 2018, during which the "Delhi Solar Agenda" was adopted, she said.

"We want connectivity to pave the way for cooperation and trust between our societies. For this, respect for sovereignty is essential. Inclusivity, transparency and sustainability are imperative. India has cooperated extensively with international community for enhanced connectivity.

&nbsp;"This is evident from our involvement with the International North-South Transport Corridor, the Chabahar Port Development, the Ashgabat Agreement, India-Myanmar-Thailand Highway Project and Bangladesh-Butan-India-Nepal Initiative among others," Swaraj said.

India has operationalised the air freight corridor between Kabul, Kandahar, New Delhi and Mumbai last year.

"I believe that peace and development in Afghanistan contributes to security and prosperity of the member states and the region as a whole. This can only be achieved through political dialogue and reconciliation in an atmosphere free from terror and violence, within the framework of Afghan Constitution.

"We must strongly support the active efforts of the Afghan Government to implement Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and Afghan-controlled inclusive peace and reconciliation process. India actively supports the activation of the SCO-Afghanistan Contact Group, the Moscow Consultation Format and other mechanisms of dialogue and cooperation for restoration of peace and development in Afghanistan," the minister added.

Swaraj was speaking at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation foreign ministers' meeting, which was also attended by Pakistan Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif

In a veiled attack on Pakistan, India on Tuesday said that terrorism is an enemy of the basic human rights and the fight against it should also identify states that "encourage, support and finance" the menace and "provide sanctuary" to terror groups. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, during her address at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Foreign Ministers meeting, also attended by Pakistan Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, raised the issue of global terrorism and protectionism. There are a number of challenges that are being faced by the world today, foremost being the threat of global terrorism and the imminent need to build a strong security architecture to combat it, the minister said. "Terrorism is an enemy of the basic human rights: of life, peace and prosperity," Swaraj said. The criminal terrorist militias are not impeded by borders as they seek to destroy the architecture of international stability and build walls of fear in societies that believe in pluralism, she said."We strongly believe that our fight against terrorism should not only seek to eliminate terrorists but should also identify and take strong measures against States that encourage, support and finance terrorism and provide sanctuary to terrorists and terror groups," Swaraj said without mentioning any country. Maiming and killing innocent lives indiscriminately constitutes the most blatant violation of human rights, she said. "We have to work together to wipe-out this scourge from the face of the earth. In order to realise this objective, we must unite across our differences, strengthen our resolve and script an effective strategy against terror. We welcome the clarity shown by the SCO on terrorism from its inception. "We should also urgently resolve to establish Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism that India proposed more than two decades ago in the United Nations. We are determined to consistently strengthen cooperation within the SCO framework for comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security," the minister said. On trade and investment, Swaraj said that "protectionism in all its forms should be rejected and efforts should be made to discipline measures that constitute barriers to trade". The meeting was also attended by foreign ministers Wang Yi of China, Kairat Abdrakhmanov of Kazakhstan, Abdyldaev Erlan Bekeshovich of Kyrgyzstan, Sergey Lavrov of Russia, Sirodjidin Muhridinovich Aslov of Tajikistan, Abdulaziz Khafizovich Kamilov of Uzbekistan, and Secretary General of the SCO Rashid Alimov among others. Swaraj also raised the issue of reforms at the UN Security Council and said "it is clear to many of us that the Security Council is increasingly unable, or sometimes unwilling, to respond to the security challenges of our times, with tragic consequences. For long India has been calling for the reform of the UN Security Council, the world body's top organ. "We must not lose sight of the fact that reforms of the UN will be incomplete, without reforms in the Security Council to make it more representative of contemporary realities". "Since 2008, the international community has carefully nurtured the ongoing Inter Governmental Negotiations at the UN to take our discussions on UNSC reforms forward," she said. An overwhelming majority of members have expressed their desire to see these negotiations continue on the basis of a text, Swaraj said. India is committed to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and its Paris Agreement of 2015 on combating climate change. Addressing Climate Change and promoting secure, affordable and sustainable clean energy are India's shared priorities, she said. Following the establishment of "International Solar Alliance" in December 2017, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosted its Founding Conference in New Delhi in March 2018, during which the "Delhi Solar Agenda" was adopted, she said. "We want connectivity to pave the way for cooperation and trust between our societies. For this, respect for sovereignty is essential. Inclusivity, transparency and sustainability are imperative. India has cooperated extensively with international community for enhanced connectivity. "This is evident from our involvement with the International North-South Transport Corridor, the Chabahar Port Development, the Ashgabat Agreement, India-Myanmar-Thailand Highway Project and Bangladesh-Butan-India-Nepal Initiative among others," Swaraj said. India has operationalised the air freight corridor between Kabul, Kandahar, New Delhi and Mumbai last year. "I believe that peace and development in Afghanistan contributes to security and prosperity of the member states and the region as a whole. This can only be achieved through political dialogue and reconciliation in an atmosphere free from terror and violence, within the framework of Afghan Constitution. "We must strongly support the active efforts of the Afghan Government to implement Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and Afghan-controlled inclusive peace and reconciliation process. India actively supports the activation of the SCO-Afghanistan Contact Group, the Moscow Consultation Format and other mechanisms of dialogue and cooperation for restoration of peace and development in Afghanistan," the minister added.

Should identify states that 'support and finance' terror, Sushma says in veiled attack on Pak

Uzbekistan&nbsp;President Shavkat Mirziyoyev said today that his country is ready to join the Turkmenistan to India gas pipeline, Reuters reported.

"We have agreed that Uzbekistan will also take part in this project," Mirziyoyev said.

The Turkmenistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan–India Pipeline (TAPI) gas pipeline is being partly funded by the Asian Development Bank, the construction of the Turkmenistan section had started three years ago.

Uzbekistan's entry will radically change the equations in the region. Although reports said it is still unclear if Tashkent would ship gas through the pipeline.

In February, several top leaders from Pakistan, India, Turkmenistan & &nbsp;Afghanistan had gathered at Turkmenistan’s border with Afghanistan to inaugurate a section of the 1,840-km pipeline.

President Mirziyoyev's move comes after India's external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj met foreign minister of Uzbekistan Abdulaziz Kamilov and discussed trade and investment-related issues in Beijing.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
Uzbekistan in a bid to diversify its gas market is looking at Pakistan and India as a possible market. The Central Asian country had started to lay the Afghan section of the pipeline which will also be linked to Pakistan.

The project which costs $8 billion will be one of the most ambitious gas pipeline projects in the region. President &nbsp;Mirziyoyev declaration came after he met Turkmenistan President Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov.

Both Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan hope to rely less on dominant neighbours China and Russia for their gas exports as the region competes for resources in an increasingly complex power equation.

Reuters said Uzbek experts would travel to Turkmenistan to discuss Tashkent's role in the pipeline.

The project which costs $8 billion will be one of the most ambitious gas pipeline projects in the region.

Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev said today that his country is ready to join the Turkmenistan to India gas pipeline, Reuters reported. "We have agreed that Uzbekistan will also take part in this project," Mirziyoyev said. The Turkmenistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan–India Pipeline (TAPI) gas pipeline is being partly funded by the Asian Development Bank, the construction of the Turkmenistan section had started three years ago. Uzbekistan's entry will radically change the equations in the region. Although reports said it is still unclear if Tashkent would ship gas through the pipeline. In February, several top leaders from Pakistan, India, Turkmenistan & Afghanistan had gathered at Turkmenistan’s border with Afghanistan to inaugurate a section of the 1,840-km pipeline. President Mirziyoyev's move comes after India's external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj met foreign minister of Uzbekistan Abdulaziz Kamilov and discussed trade and investment-related issues in Beijing. Uzbekistan in a bid to diversify its gas market is looking at Pakistan and India as a possible market. The Central Asian country had started to lay the Afghan section of the pipeline which will also be linked to Pakistan. The project which costs $8 billion will be one of the most ambitious gas pipeline projects in the region. President Mirziyoyev declaration came after he met Turkmenistan President Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov. Both Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan hope to rely less on dominant neighbours China and Russia for their gas exports as the region competes for resources in an increasingly complex power equation. Reuters said Uzbek experts would travel to Turkmenistan to discuss Tashkent's role in the pipeline.

Uzbekistan to join Turkmenistan-India gas pipeline project: President Mirziyoyev

After meeting Chinese vice-president,&nbsp;India's external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj today met President Xi in Beijing on Monday.

Swaraj who is on a four-day visit to China for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) had met China's vice president Wang Qishan at Zhongnanhai on Monday afternoon.

On Sunday, Sushma Swaraj had met her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi and announced that PM Modi and President Xi will meet in Wuhan on April 27-28.

Earlier on Monday, &nbsp;Swaraj had met Kyrgyzstan foreign minister Erlan Abdyldaev to discuss trade and development. India's external affairs minister had also met Uzbekistan foreign minister Abdulaziz Kamilov.

India's latest connect with China comes in the backdrop of China, US face-off on trade issues with the Communist state keen to improve relations with India focussing on trade and investment.

The Chinese side is keen to "reset" relations with India after both countries were involved in a huge border row over Doklam last year.

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to discuss the Doklam issue with President Xi when he visits Beijing in on Friday with both sides eager to&nbsp;carve a new relationship.

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&nbsp;

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to discuss the Doklam issue with President Xi

After meeting Chinese vice-president, India's external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj today met President Xi in Beijing on Monday. Swaraj who is on a four-day visit to China for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) had met China's vice president Wang Qishan at Zhongnanhai on Monday afternoon. On Sunday, Sushma Swaraj had met her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi and announced that PM Modi and President Xi will meet in Wuhan on April 27-28. Earlier on Monday, Swaraj had met Kyrgyzstan foreign minister Erlan Abdyldaev to discuss trade and development. India's external affairs minister had also met Uzbekistan foreign minister Abdulaziz Kamilov. India's latest connect with China comes in the backdrop of China, US face-off on trade issues with the Communist state keen to improve relations with India focussing on trade and investment. The Chinese side is keen to "reset" relations with India after both countries were involved in a huge border row over Doklam last year. India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to discuss the Doklam issue with President Xi when he visits Beijing in on Friday with both sides eager to carve a new relationship.

Sushma Swaraj meets China's President Xi, Vice-President Wang Qishan

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will visit China later this week to participate in the Foreign Ministers meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) during which she will also hold talks with her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi.&nbsp;

Swaraj, who will be arriving in China on April 21, is expected to meet Wang on April 22. She is scheduled to take part in the SCO Foreign Ministers meeting on April 24, official sources here said.

This will be their first meeting after Wang has been elevated last month to be the State Councillor, which makes him the top diplomat in the Chinese hierarchy. He will hold the dual posts of the State Councillor and Foreign Minister.&nbsp;

After her China visit, she will travel to Magnolia.&nbsp;

Sushma Swaraj and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman are visiting China virtually around the same time. Sitharaman is due to take part in the SCO Defence Ministers meeting on April 24.&nbsp;

The SCO meetings are a prelude to the June summit of the eight-member grouping in which India and Pakistan have become new members.&nbsp;

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to take part in the SCO summit to be held in the Chinese city of Qingdao in June.&nbsp;

Foreign and Defence Ministers of Pakistan are also expected to attend the April 24 meetings.&nbsp;

The SCO comprises of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India and Pakistan.&nbsp;

Visits by Swaraj and Sitharaman are taking place as India and China have stepped up high-level exchanges to defuse tensions following last year's Doklam standoff. 
&nbsp; 
On April 13, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval met Yang Jiechi, Director of China's Foreign Affairs Commission and member of the ruling Communist Party of China, in Shanghai during which the two sides held in-depth talks on improving the relations. 
&nbsp; 
Both sides also held the 11th Joint Economic Group meeting and the fifth Strategic Economic Dialogue (SED). India and China also held working mechanism meeting on border affairs and cross border rivers.&nbsp; 
 
Commenting on the meetings, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told the media here yesterday that bilateral ties have seen sound momentum and all round cooperation this year.&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

The external affairs minister will participate in the Foreign Ministers meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) during which she will also hold talks with her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will visit China later this week to participate in the Foreign Ministers meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) during which she will also hold talks with her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi. Swaraj, who will be arriving in China on April 21, is expected to meet Wang on April 22. She is scheduled to take part in the SCO Foreign Ministers meeting on April 24, official sources here said. This will be their first meeting after Wang has been elevated last month to be the State Councillor, which makes him the top diplomat in the Chinese hierarchy. He will hold the dual posts of the State Councillor and Foreign Minister. After her China visit, she will travel to Magnolia. Sushma Swaraj and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman are visiting China virtually around the same time. Sitharaman is due to take part in the SCO Defence Ministers meeting on April 24. The SCO meetings are a prelude to the June summit of the eight-member grouping in which India and Pakistan have become new members. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to take part in the SCO summit to be held in the Chinese city of Qingdao in June. Foreign and Defence Ministers of Pakistan are also expected to attend the April 24 meetings. The SCO comprises of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India and Pakistan. Visits by Swaraj and Sitharaman are taking place as India and China have stepped up high-level exchanges to defuse tensions following last year's Doklam standoff. On April 13, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval met Yang Jiechi, Director of China's Foreign Affairs Commission and member of the ruling Communist Party of China, in Shanghai during which the two sides held in-depth talks on improving the relations. Both sides also held the 11th Joint Economic Group meeting and the fifth Strategic Economic Dialogue (SED). India and China also held working mechanism meeting on border affairs and cross border rivers. Commenting on the meetings, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told the media here yesterday that bilateral ties have seen sound momentum and all round cooperation this year.

Sushma Swaraj to visit China this week, will hold talks with counterpart

India and Pakistan military forces are set to take part in a multilateral military exercise&nbsp;in September under the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Russia.

Pakistan and India were inducted into the SCO in June last year at Astana amid apprehensions about the two neighbours getting along during joint operations.

The SCO was founded in June&nbsp;2001 by&nbsp;China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia&nbsp;and Tajikistan.

The group conducts counter-terror exercises every two years as part of its drill to keep its forces combat-ready and to ensure coordination in counter-terror operations

However, both countries haven't confirmed their participation in the military drills but analysts say Russia and China are keen to have the South Asian neighbours to participate&nbsp;in the week-long exercise.

Under the SCO terms, India and Pakistan are now automatically part of the Regional Anti-Terrorism Structure(RATS) based in Tashkent, Russia.

The operation titled ‘Peace Mission-2018’ will involve a large number of troops, especially from Russia and China.

Observers will be keenly watching how India and Pakistan take up their new role in the SCO which also involves all countries to mandatorily share&nbsp;terror intelligence. 
&nbsp;

The operation titled ‘Peace Mission-2018’ will involve a large number of troops, especially from Russia and China.

India and Pakistan military forces are set to take part in a multilateral military exercise in September under the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Russia. Pakistan and India were inducted into the SCO in June last year at Astana amid apprehensions about the two neighbours getting along during joint operations. The SCO was founded in June 2001 by China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan. The group conducts counter-terror exercises every two years as part of its drill to keep its forces combat-ready and to ensure coordination in counter-terror operations However, both countries haven't confirmed their participation in the military drills but analysts say Russia and China are keen to have the South Asian neighbours to participate in the week-long exercise. Under the SCO terms, India and Pakistan are now automatically part of the Regional Anti-Terrorism Structure(RATS) based in Tashkent, Russia. The operation titled ‘Peace Mission-2018’ will involve a large number of troops, especially from Russia and China. Observers will be keenly watching how India and Pakistan take up their new role in the SCO which also involves all countries to mandatorily share terror intelligence.

Watch: India, Pakistan may take part in joint military drill in Russia under SCO membership

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj made a stopover in Iran&nbsp;on her way back from Russia to meet Iran foreign minister of&nbsp; Dr.Javed Zarif in Tehran.

She met the Iran minister over a luncheon meeting.&nbsp;

Reports indicate that the two foreign ministers discussed issues of mutual interests.&nbsp;

The two counterparts discussed the implementation of the Chabahar port, which is expected to boost trade relations between India, Afghanistan and Iran, an&nbsp;external affairs source said.&nbsp;

The MEA officials have said that it was a technical stopover and not a planned one.&nbsp;

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External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj met Foreign Minister of Iran Dr. Javad Zarif in Tehran <a href="https://t.co/1nQzSdkv4G">pic.twitter.com/1nQzSdkv4G</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/936957125485502464?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 2, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Swaraj was on a three-day visit to Russia to attend the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/videos/sco-all-you-need-to-know-about-shanghai-cooperation-organisation-7095" target="_blank">Shanghai Cooperation Organisation</a> meeting.

In the SCO meeting, she had emphasised on the connectivity between the SCO countries. She said&nbsp; &quot;Connectivity with SCO countries is India&#39;s priority. We want connectivity to pave the way for cooperation and trust between our societies.&quot; &quot;For this, respect for sovereignty is essential. Inclusivity, transparency and sustainability are imperative,&quot; she added.

She also invited the SCO members to participate in India&#39;s growth story.&nbsp;

&quot;In the background of sluggish economic growth in the world, India&#39;s economic growth is expected to accelerate in the long-term and we would like the other SCO members to be part of India&#39;s growth story,&quot; &quot;Slowdown in the world economy accompanied with increasing tide of protectionism and policy uncertainties will require measures of matching proportions,&quot;.

Talking about the connectivity between India and Afghanistan, which she termed as an important priority sector for India, she stated that the connectivity with Afghanistan had improved with the operationalisation of the Air Freight Corridor between Kabul, Kandahar and New Delhi this June.&nbsp;

Taking forward Prime Minister Narendra Modi&#39;s vision, Swaraj said, &quot;I believe that this is the starting point of our journey, to realise the full spectrum of connectivity - from culture to commerce, from traditions to technology, from investments to IT, from services to strategy, and from people to politics.&quot;

The 16th Meeting of Government of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation was organised in the Sochi city of Russia.&nbsp;

The meeting was held on November 30-December 1.

She also attended a joint dinner hosted by Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev. The Russian PM had hosted the dinner in honour of the participants of the meeting of the council.&nbsp;

This was the first meeting of the Council after India became a full member of the SCO.

India and Pakistan&nbsp;became a full-fledged member of the SCO in June.&nbsp;

India&#39;s membership was backed by Russia while Pakistan was supported by China.&nbsp;

(With agency inputs)

Swaraj was on a three-day visit to Russia to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation meeting

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj made a stopover in Iran on her way back from Russia to meet Iran foreign minister of Dr.Javed Zarif in Tehran. She met the Iran minister over a luncheon meeting. Reports indicate that the two foreign ministers discussed issues of mutual interests. The two counterparts discussed the implementation of the Chabahar port, which is expected to boost trade relations between India, Afghanistan and Iran, an external affairs source said. The MEA officials have said that it was a technical stopover and not a planned one. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj met Foreign Minister of Iran Dr. Javad Zarif in Tehran pic.twitter.com/1nQzSdkv4G — ANI (@ANI) December 2, 2017 × Swaraj was on a three-day visit to Russia to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation meeting. In the SCO meeting, she had emphasised on the connectivity between the SCO countries. She said "Connectivity with SCO countries is India's priority. We want connectivity to pave the way for cooperation and trust between our societies." "For this, respect for sovereignty is essential. Inclusivity, transparency and sustainability are imperative," she added. She also invited the SCO members to participate in India's growth story. "In the background of sluggish economic growth in the world, India's economic growth is expected to accelerate in the long-term and we would like the other SCO members to be part of India's growth story," "Slowdown in the world economy accompanied with increasing tide of protectionism and policy uncertainties will require measures of matching proportions,". Talking about the connectivity between India and Afghanistan, which she termed as an important priority sector for India, she stated that the connectivity with Afghanistan had improved with the operationalisation of the Air Freight Corridor between Kabul, Kandahar and New Delhi this June. Taking forward Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision, Swaraj said, "I believe that this is the starting point of our journey, to realise the full spectrum of connectivity - from culture to commerce, from traditions to technology, from investments to IT, from services to strategy, and from people to politics." The 16th Meeting of Government of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation was organised in the Sochi city of Russia. The meeting was held on November 30-December 1. She also attended a joint dinner hosted by Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev. The Russian PM had hosted the dinner in honour of the participants of the meeting of the council. This was the first meeting of the Council after India became a full member of the SCO. India and Pakistan became a full-fledged member of the SCO in June. India's membership was backed by Russia while Pakistan was supported by China. (With agency inputs)

Sushma Swaraj meets Iran foreign minister in Tehran

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Chinese President Xi Jinping ahead of the 17th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Astana on Friday.

The meeting between Modi and Xi comes amid a sharp downturn in the ties between the nuclear-armed Asian giants.

New Delhi is smarting over China&#39;s refusal to allow it entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group, a global cartel that controls nuclear trade, and over Beijing blocking a request at the UN to sanction a Pakistan-based militant blamed for attacks on India.

India chose to skip Belt and Road Forum (BRF) - China&#39;s biggest summit of the year - held in April. New Delhi is incensed that one of the key Belt and Road projects passes through Kashmir and Pakistan - over which the neighbours have fought two of their three wars.

On the other hand, Beijing is angry at India&#39;s increasingly public engagement of the Dalai Lama, including hosting the Tibetan spiritual leader in a territory controlled by India but claimed by China in April.

Modi arrived in Kazakhstan capital on Thursday to attend the SCO summit where India will be formally admitted as a full-time member of the security bloc.

India had been an observer country at the SCO - a Eurasian political, economic and military bloc - since 2005 and had applied for a full membership in 2014 and the SCO foreign ministers gave a positive recommendation when they met in June 2015.

China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan formed the SCO in 2001 to fight threats posed by radical Islam and drug trafficking from neighbouring Afghanistan.

(Reuters)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets China's Xi Jinping ahead of 17th SCO summit at Astana amid sharp downturn in Indo-China relationship

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Chinese President Xi Jinping ahead of the 17th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Astana on Friday. The meeting between Modi and Xi comes amid a sharp downturn in the ties between the nuclear-armed Asian giants. New Delhi is smarting over China's refusal to allow it entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group, a global cartel that controls nuclear trade, and over Beijing blocking a request at the UN to sanction a Pakistan-based militant blamed for attacks on India. India chose to skip Belt and Road Forum (BRF) - China's biggest summit of the year - held in April. New Delhi is incensed that one of the key Belt and Road projects passes through Kashmir and Pakistan - over which the neighbours have fought two of their three wars. On the other hand, Beijing is angry at India's increasingly public engagement of the Dalai Lama, including hosting the Tibetan spiritual leader in a territory controlled by India but claimed by China in April. Modi arrived in Kazakhstan capital on Thursday to attend the SCO summit where India will be formally admitted as a full-time member of the security bloc. India had been an observer country at the SCO - a Eurasian political, economic and military bloc - since 2005 and had applied for a full membership in 2014 and the SCO foreign ministers gave a positive recommendation when they met in June 2015. China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan formed the SCO in 2001 to fight threats posed by radical Islam and drug trafficking from neighbouring Afghanistan. (Reuters)

PM Modi meets China's Xi Jinping at SCO summit in Astana

To its Western detractors, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is an emergent anti-NATO coalition, &ldquo;an OPEC with bombs&rdquo; and a military and economic alliance to be reckoned with.

&nbsp;

To its Eastern proponents and supporters, the SCO is a military and economic coalition of mostly Central Asian countries (Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan), which after the expected inclusion of India and Pakistan as full members at the grouping&rsquo;s annual summit in Astana today, would make it represent half the world&rsquo;s population and almost 20 per cent of its GDP.

&nbsp;

Founded in 2001, the alliance&rsquo;s three stated aims are to fight terrorism, extremism and separatism. In addition, members of the group also engage in economic and scientific cooperation.

&nbsp;

But all eyes today, along with a few raised eyebrows, will be fixed on the admission of India and Pakistan as full member states into the SCO. Although chances of a meeting between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Pakistan premier at the summit appear bleak, there are reports that a head-to-head between Mr Modi and the Chinese President Xi Jinping could be the highlight. India is understandably less sanguine about its role in the coalition, thanks to the growing clout of some of its &lsquo;frenemies&rsquo; in the bloc.

&nbsp;

One of the stumbling blocks which India will likely face is the SCO member states&rsquo; expected endorsement of China&rsquo;s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) which connects it to Europe and Africa and covers nearly 70 countries through a series of trade pacts. Delhi believes the BRI violates its sovereignty, particularly the proposed China-Pakistan

Economic Corridor (CPEC), which runs through Pak-occupied Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan region (both an integral part of the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir). It should be noted that India did not participate in the BRI summit held in Beijing in mid-May, which drew 30 heads of state.

&nbsp;

Again, there are differing views on terrorism and territoriality between India on the one hand, as well as China and Pakistan on the other. Beijing still considers the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh a disputed territory, remains adamant on preventing Masood Azhar&rsquo;s naming in the UN sanctions list and obstructs India&rsquo;s entry to the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). Therefore, some Indian strategists contend that becoming part of the SCO and the so-called consensus-driven &lsquo;Shanghai Spirit&rsquo;, could potentially imperil India&rsquo;s vital interests.

&nbsp;

There are also concerns that India-Pakistan disputes at the forum could render the bloc flaccid (SAARC serves as the precedent) and for this reason, SCO member states have already instructed the two new entrants to keep their differences aside in the spirit of the SCO Charter, which prohibits the raising of bilateral issues. Thus, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying has reportedly said: &ldquo;Hope India and Pakistan strictly follow the charter of the SCO and the idea of good neighbourliness to uphold the SCO spirit, improve their relations and inject new impetus into the development of the SCO.&rdquo;

&nbsp;

Some Indian experts fear that the strong Chinese and now growing Russian ties with Pakistan will not allow them to take the Islamic Republic to task for its increased support to cross-border terrorism and separatism in Jammu and Kashmir, but instead may use the SCO to force India into negotiating with Pakistan on Kashmir in the context of &lsquo;good-neighborliness&rsquo;.

&nbsp;

In spite of these issues, India would benefit from greater connectivity and influence with Central Asian countries, and this development is likely to facilitate a Free Trade Agreement with European Economic Union (EEU), enabling an easy flow of raw materials, goods, finance and technology.

&nbsp;

Again, the opening of the International South Transport Corridor (INSTC) &mdash; the 7,000 km long network of ship, rail and road route for moving goods connecting India, Russia, Iran, Europe and Central Asia &mdash; and the proposed Chabahar project in Iran would get a boost by India&rsquo;s joining the coalition.

&nbsp;

Even more important, India might gain from SCO&rsquo;s Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS). In March this year, the anti-terror charter of SCO was bolstered when officials of special services of member states approved a draft convention on combating extremism and terrorism at a meeting in Tashkent. Again, the participation in SCO&rsquo;s counter-terror exercises and military drills with member countries could prove useful for Indian forces. However, it is difficult to foresee India and Pakistani forces participating in bilateral anti-terror exercises under the SCO ambit. India could also benefit from an SCO &lsquo;Energy Club&rsquo;, particularly when Iran would likely join the grouping at a later date.

&nbsp;

The SCO could also provide an opportunity to India to establish stronger ties with other Central Asian countries, for example with Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, to circumvent the influence of China-Pakistan alignment that could impede India&rsquo;s direct access to Eurasia.

&nbsp;

Some Western observers believe that Russia is trying to take advantage of India-China rivalry by getting India inducted into the SCO. It is contended that Moscow is wary of Beijing&rsquo;s growing clout within the bloc and in a region that Russia views as its backyard. Some observers see signs of Russian unease with growing Chinese investment in Central Asia and reduced economic dependence of the region on the Russian largesse. It is in this context that Russia is said to have objected to any free trade agreement among the SCO members and wants the entry of India &mdash; with its large economic mite &mdash; to mitigate growing Chinese influence.

&nbsp;

Thus, the inclusion of new members into the SCO could make the organisation stronger by virtue of more resources (people and aggregate GDP), but could also make it more vulnerable given the divergence of security and economic interests among its member states.

Some Indian strategists contend that becoming part of the SCO could potentially imperil India?s vital interests.

To its Western detractors, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is an emergent anti-NATO coalition, “an OPEC with bombs” and a military and economic alliance to be reckoned with. To its Eastern proponents and supporters, the SCO is a military and economic coalition of mostly Central Asian countries (Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan), which after the expected inclusion of India and Pakistan as full members at the grouping’s annual summit in Astana today, would make it represent half the world’s population and almost 20 per cent of its GDP. Founded in 2001, the alliance’s three stated aims are to fight terrorism, extremism and separatism. In addition, members of the group also engage in economic and scientific cooperation. But all eyes today, along with a few raised eyebrows, will be fixed on the admission of India and Pakistan as full member states into the SCO. Although chances of a meeting between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Pakistan premier at the summit appear bleak, there are reports that a head-to-head between Mr Modi and the Chinese President Xi Jinping could be the highlight. India is understandably less sanguine about its role in the coalition, thanks to the growing clout of some of its ‘frenemies’ in the bloc. One of the stumbling blocks which India will likely face is the SCO member states’ expected endorsement of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) which connects it to Europe and Africa and covers nearly 70 countries through a series of trade pacts. Delhi believes the BRI violates its sovereignty, particularly the proposed China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which runs through Pak-occupied Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan region (both an integral part of the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir). It should be noted that India did not participate in the BRI summit held in Beijing in mid-May, which drew 30 heads of state. Again, there are differing views on terrorism and territoriality between India on the one hand, as well as China and Pakistan on the other. Beijing still considers the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh a disputed territory, remains adamant on preventing Masood Azhar’s naming in the UN sanctions list and obstructs India’s entry to the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). Therefore, some Indian strategists contend that becoming part of the SCO and the so-called consensus-driven ‘Shanghai Spirit’, could potentially imperil India’s vital interests. There are also concerns that India-Pakistan disputes at the forum could render the bloc flaccid (SAARC serves as the precedent) and for this reason, SCO member states have already instructed the two new entrants to keep their differences aside in the spirit of the SCO Charter, which prohibits the raising of bilateral issues. Thus, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying has reportedly said: “Hope India and Pakistan strictly follow the charter of the SCO and the idea of good neighbourliness to uphold the SCO spirit, improve their relations and inject new impetus into the development of the SCO.” Some Indian experts fear that the strong Chinese and now growing Russian ties with Pakistan will not allow them to take the Islamic Republic to task for its increased support to cross-border terrorism and separatism in Jammu and Kashmir, but instead may use the SCO to force India into negotiating with Pakistan on Kashmir in the context of ‘good-neighborliness’. In spite of these issues, India would benefit from greater connectivity and influence with Central Asian countries, and this development is likely to facilitate a Free Trade Agreement with European Economic Union (EEU), enabling an easy flow of raw materials, goods, finance and technology. Again, the opening of the International South Transport Corridor (INSTC) — the 7,000 km long network of ship, rail and road route for moving goods connecting India, Russia, Iran, Europe and Central Asia — and the proposed Chabahar project in Iran would get a boost by India’s joining the coalition. Even more important, India might gain from SCO’s Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS). In March this year, the anti-terror charter of SCO was bolstered when officials of special services of member states approved a draft convention on combating extremism and terrorism at a meeting in Tashkent. Again, the participation in SCO’s counter-terror exercises and military drills with member countries could prove useful for Indian forces. However, it is difficult to foresee India and Pakistani forces participating in bilateral anti-terror exercises under the SCO ambit. India could also benefit from an SCO ‘Energy Club’, particularly when Iran would likely join the grouping at a later date. The SCO could also provide an opportunity to India to establish stronger ties with other Central Asian countries, for example with Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, to circumvent the influence of China-Pakistan alignment that could impede India’s direct access to Eurasia. Some Western observers believe that Russia is trying to take advantage of India-China rivalry by getting India inducted into the SCO. It is contended that Moscow is wary of Beijing’s growing clout within the bloc and in a region that Russia views as its backyard. Some observers see signs of Russian unease with growing Chinese investment in Central Asia and reduced economic dependence of the region on the Russian largesse. It is in this context that Russia is said to have objected to any free trade agreement among the SCO members and wants the entry of India — with its large economic mite — to mitigate growing Chinese influence. Thus, the inclusion of new members into the SCO could make the organisation stronger by virtue of more resources (people and aggregate GDP), but could also make it more vulnerable given the divergence of security and economic interests among its member states.

The SCO Summit: A growing coalition of ?Frenemies??

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